System and method for tracking authenticated items

ABSTRACT

A system for tracking an authenticated item is provided. The system includes an authentication device affixed to the item. An item registration system receives authentication device data from the authentication device and associated item data and stores the authentication device data and the associated item data. An owner registration system receives owner registration data after a buyer has acquired the item. A buyer verification system receives the authentication device data, the associated item data and the owner registration data and stores buyer verified data if the associated item data correlates to the owner registration data, such as if the external tag number or event data entered by the owner matches external tag number or event data for the item.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority toU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/038,292, which is commonly-owned andassigned with the present application and which is hereby incorporatedby reference for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to the field of item tracking systems,and more particularly to a system and method for tracking authenticateditems that allows items to be tracked after delivery to an ultimateconsumer, such as sports memorabilia or other items that appreciate overtime.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Inventory tracking systems are known in the art. Such inventory trackingsystems allow inventory to be received and tracked to determinequantities on hand, when reordering is required, or to perform othersuitable functions.

Although inventory tracking systems can be used to control inventory atone or several locations, such inventory tracking systems generally donot track the inventory once it has been purchased by the ultimateconsumer. Thus, while an inventory tracking system may track the currentstate of an object, it does not track the state of an object as itchanges over time after it has been delivered. Likewise, databases fortracking object ownership, such as warranty registration databases orother similar databases, generally do not track the change of state ofthe object. Likewise, such databases have limited functionality, and areonly used to determine whether a product has been registered to receivewarranty services, and to send notices to product owners when repairsthat are covered under the warranty may be needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a system and method fortracking and authenticating items are provided that overcome knownproblems with tracking and authenticating items.

In particular, a system and method for tracking and authenticating itemsare provided that allow items to be tracked over time after they areacquired by a consumer, such as items that appreciate in value.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, asystem for tracking an authenticated item is provided. The systemincludes an authentication and/or tracking device, such as a RadioFrequency Identification (“RFID”) tag, affixed to the item. An itemregistration system receives authentication and/or tracking device datafrom the authentication and/or tracking device (such as an external andinternal RFID tag number) and associated item data (such as adescription of the item, the name of an athlete that used the item, or asporting event that the item was used at) and stores the authenticationand/or tracking device data and the associated item data. An ownerregistration system receives owner registration data (such as owneridentification data and an external tag number) after a buyer hasacquired the item. A buyer verification system receives theauthentication device data, the associated item data and the ownerregistration data and stores buyer verified data if the associated itemdata correlates to the owner registration data, such as if the externaltag number or event data entered by the owner matches external tagnumber or event data for the item.

The present invention provides many important technical advantages. Oneimportant technical advantage of the present invention is a system andmethod for tracking and authenticating items that improve the ability todetermine whether an item is authentic by tracking its history, such asprior to and after the occurrence of an event, the use of the item by acelebrity, or other suitable information.

Those skilled in the art will further appreciate the advantages andsuperior features of the invention together with other important aspectsthereof on reading the detailed description that follows in conjunctionwith the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system for tracking an authenticated item inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of system for providing item identification for itemauthentication in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a system for providing chain of custody controlin accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a system for allowing an item to be transferredfrom an owner to another purchaser in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a system for providing item verification data inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of an authentication device in accordance with anexemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method for providing authentication data foran item in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method for providing validation data inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method for allowing an item to be transferredin accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a method for providing chain of custodycontrol in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the description that follows, like parts are marked throughout thespecification and drawings with the same reference numerals,respectively. The drawing figures might not be to scale, and certaincomponents can be shown in generalized or schematic form and identifiedby commercial designations in the interest of clarity and conciseness.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system 100 for tracking an authenticated itemin accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.System 100 allows authenticated items to be tracked from the moment theyare stored in an inventory system, after an event occurs which may causethe item to increase in value, through a chain of custody, to a firstpurchaser, and to subsequent purchasers.

System 100 includes item registration system 102, which can beimplemented in hardware, software, or a suitable combination of hardwareand software, and which can be one or more software systems operating ona general purpose server platform. As used herein, a hardware system caninclude discrete semiconductor devices, an application-specificintegrated circuit, a field programmable gate array or other suitabledevices. A software system can include one or more objects, agents,threads, lines of code, subroutines, separate software applications,user-readable (source) code, machine-readable (object) code, two or morelines of code in two or more corresponding software applications,databases, or other suitable software architectures. In one exemplaryembodiment, a software system can include one or more lines of code in ageneral purpose software application, such as an operating system, andone or more lines of code in a specific purpose software application.

Item registration system 102 is coupled to item 104 and tag 106 by asuitable media, such as a radio frequency communications media. As usedherein, the term “couple” and its cognate terms, such as “couples” and“coupled,” can include a physical connection (such as a copperconductor), a virtual connection (such as through randomly assignedmemory locations of a data memory device), a logical connection (such asthrough logical gates of a semiconducting device), other suitableconnections, or a suitable combination of such connections. In oneexemplary embodiment, systems and components are coupled to othersystems and components through intervening systems and components, suchas through an operating system. Communications media can be a local areanetwork, a wide area network, a public network such as the Internet, thepublic switched telephone network, wireless media, fiber optic media,other suitable media, or a suitable combination of such media.

In one exemplary embodiment, item registration system 102 receives item104 data that is input by a scanner, a barcode reader, operator input,or other suitable processes. Likewise, item registration system 102receives data from tag 106, which can be an RFID tag, a barcode, ahologram tag, or other suitable authentication devices that may beattached to an item, provided with an item, or otherwise included withitem 104. Item registration system 102 stores the tag data and the itemdata, and allows the item data to be tracked through inventory,distribution, and subsequently to a purchaser.

Item registration system 102 includes item identification system 108,chain of custody system 110, item transfer system 112, item verificationsystem 114, alert system 116, and tracking personalization system 124,each of which can be implemented in hardware, software, or a suitablecombination of hardware and software, and which can be one or moresoftware systems operating on a general purpose server platform. Itemidentification system 108 receives authentication device data, itemdescription data, or other suitable data, and stores the itemidentification data for use by other systems of item registration system102 or tracking interface system 118. In one exemplary embodiment, itemidentification system 108 can scan items, read RFID tag data, receiveoperator entered data, receive personage data, receive item check-outand check-in data, can receive event notification data, and can receiveother suitable item identification data.

Chain of custody system 110 allows the chain of custody of an item to becontrolled so as to prevent the misappropriation of the item orcounterfeiting of the item. In one exemplary embodiment, chain ofcustody system 110 can allow an entry point for an item to start an itemchain of custody, can allow reseller systems to receive the item and canverify the chain of custody to an ultimate owner, can allow the owner toregister the purchase of the item, and can verify that the owner haspurchased the authentic item that initiated at the beginning of thechain of custody.

Item transfer system 112 allows an item to be transferred from an ownerto a subsequent purchaser. In one exemplary embodiment, item transfersystem 112 allows an owner to transfer the item to another purchaser byproviding access control measures, confirmation procedures or othersuitable processes to ensure that an item is not stolen orcounterfeited.

Item verification system 114 receives query data and providesidentification data for an item. In one exemplary embodiment, itemverification system 114 allows the owner of an item to be identified,allows the item to be identified based on external identification data,provides item identification data in response to other suitablecombinations of data, or otherwise allows an item to be verified basedon entered data.

Alert system 116 generates alert data when an item transfer to anunauthorized person is attempted, when an item is received that does notmatch what item identification system 108 or other suitable systemsindicate that the item is, or when other information is received thatindicates that a fraudulent transfer or counterfeit may have occurred.Alert system 116 can generate alert data to an operator of itemregistration system 102, to an owner, to a prospective buyer of an item,to a personage, or other suitable persons.

Tracking personalization system 124 allows a user to create apersonalized tracking portal. In one exemplary embodiment, a user canuse tracking personalization system 124 to track household items, suchas by applying a tag 106 to items in the household or using othersuitable data already affixed to the item such as a bar code or productregistration number, and then providing additional item data that isassociated with the tag 106 data or other suitable data. Additional itemdata, such as purchase dates, purchase price, purchase location, imagedata of receipts, product identification data, product registrationdata, or other suitable data can also be provided through trackingpersonalization system 124.

Tracking interface system 118 includes verification query system 120 andremote item transfer system 122, each of which can be implemented inhardware, software, or a suitable combination of hardware and software,and which can be one or more software systems operating on a generalpurpose processor platform. Verification query system 120 receivesverification query data from a user and interfaces with itemregistration system 102 or other suitable systems to provideverification data of an item, an owner, or other suitable data. In oneexemplary embodiment, verification query system 120 can receiveauthentication device data from tag 106, item data from item 104 such asby scanning or in other suitable manners, operator entered data, orother suitable verification query data, and can interface with itemregistration system 102 to verify whether the information enteredmatches information stored by item registration system 102, can provideadditional information depending upon the information that was requestedthrough verification query system 120, or can perform other suitablefunctions.

Remote item transfer system 122 allows the owner of an item to transferit to another owner by interfacing with item registration system 102. Inone exemplary embodiment, remote item transfer system 122 allows theowner to send a subsequent purchaser suitable data to initiate atransfer, and also allows the prospective purchaser to enter data tocomplete the transfer. Likewise, remote item transfer system 122 canreceive alert data from alert system 116 and can alert the prospectivebuyer, prospective seller, or other suitable persons that aninconsistency with item identification data has been detected or thatother inconsistent data has been entered.

In operation, system 100 allows items to be tracked, such as items thatappreciate in value due to an association of the item with some externalevent or personage. In one exemplary embodiment, an item can be a pieceof sporting gear, musical gear, collectibles, antiques, art, or othersuitable items that are used by personages in the sports orentertainment industries, such that system 100 is used to verify thatthe item was used at a certain event, by a certain personage, or inother suitable manners. Likewise, system 100 can be used in conjunctionwith memorabilia, household assets, consumer products, or other suitableitems, such as to register ownership of an item, confirm that the itemhas not been stolen, misappropriated or counterfeited, and to otherwiseensure the authenticity of the item.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of system 200 for providing item identification foritem tracking and authentication in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention. System 200 includes itemidentification system 108 and item data entry system 202, authenticationdevice data entry system 204, item scanner system 206, personageverification system 208, item check-out system 210, item check-in system212, event verification system 214, and item appraisal system 216, eachof which can be implemented in hardware, software, or a suitablecombination of hardware and software, and which can be one or moresoftware systems operating on a general purpose server platform.

Item data entry system 202 allows an operator to enter item data. In oneexemplary embodiment, item data entry system 202 can interface withinventory systems, can receive bar code data or other suitable data thatcorrelates to a database that includes item data, can receive imagedata, or can otherwise receive item data for use in identifying an item.

Authentication device data entry system 204 receives authenticationdevice data for one or more items. In one exemplary embodiment,authentication device data entry system 204 can receive data from RFIDtags implanted in items, such as by scanning each item individually, ona crate, in a warehouse, or in other suitable manners. Likewise,hologram data, bar code data, or other suitable data can be used.

Item scanner system 206 receives item data from scanning devices such asoptical scanners, infrared scanners, barcode scanners, or other suitablescanners. In one exemplary embodiment, item scanner system 206 caninterface with item data entry system 202 and can provide itemidentification data from a database based on barcode data or othersuitable data.

Personage verification system 208 receives personage verification data.In one exemplary embodiment, a personage can verify entry of one or moreitems, such as by being present when items are entered in through itemdata entry system 202, authentication device data entry system 204, itemscanner system 206, or in other suitable manners. Personage verificationsystem 208 can include a password, a user ID for the personage, andother suitable data, such that the personage can track the total numberof items that are allocated to that personage, the location of suchitems, or other suitable information. For example, personageverification system 208 can be used to allow a personage to keep trackof a total number of items, such that the personage can readilydetermine whether an unauthorized number of items is being tracked, toprovide royalties to a personage based on the number of items registeredthrough system 100, based on each time an item is transferred throughsystem 100, or in other suitable manners.

Item check-out system 210 receives item check-out data from anauthentication device, a scanner, or other suitable item check-out data,such as before an item is used at a sporting event, concert, or othersuitable event. In one exemplary embodiment, an item can be checked outfrom an inventory control system prior to an event, such that itemcheck-out system 210 can be used to authenticate an item that was usedat the event. Image data of the item can also be generated and stored.

Item check-in system 212 receives item check-in data from anauthentication device, a scanner, or other suitable item check-in data,such as after the completion of a sporting event, a concert, or othersuitable event. In one exemplary embodiment, an item can be checked infrom an inventory control system during or after an event, such thatitem check-in system 212 can be used to authenticate an item that wasused at the event. Image data of the item can also be generated andstored. Alert data can also be generated if an item that has beenchecked out prior to an event is not returned within a predeterminedperiod of time after the completion of the event.

Event verification system 214 receives event verification data, such asevent time data, event audiovisual data, data that can only be obtainedat an event venue (such as from a venue identification device), or othersuitable data that can be used to identify an event or that is relatedto an event where an item was used. Event verification system 214 caninterface with item check-out system 210 and item check-in system 212,such as to provide event data to item check-out system 210 and itemcheck-in system 212 to allow the event verification data to be provided,or in other suitable manners. In one exemplary embodiment, eventverification system 214 can also be used to provide event data to apurchaser of an item that was used in the event, such as audiovisualdata of the item being checked out, used, and then checked in,audiovisual data of the item in use (such as a musical instrument), orother suitable data.

Item appraisal system 216 receives appraisal data and associates theappraisal data with an item. In one exemplary embodiment, item appraisalsystem 216 can include an appraiser interface, such as to allow apredetermined appraiser to enter or modify appraisal values for items.In another exemplary embodiment, item appraisal system 216 can include auser interface that allows a user to provide appraisal data such as theidentity of an appraiser, an appraised value, an appraisal date, animage of an appraisal certification, or other suitable data. Itemappraisal system 216 can also include an insurance company interfacethat allows an insurance company to provide approved appraiser data, toobtain appraisal data for items, or to obtain other suitable data.

In operation, system 200 provides item identification data that allowsitems to be identified and tracked. System 200 thus allows the trackingand authentication of an item to be improved, such as by providingadditional measures for tracking and authentication to allow the item tobe identified.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a system 300 for providing chain of custodycontrol in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. System 300 includes chain of custody system 110 and entrypoint transfer system 302, reseller transfer system 304, and ownerregistration system 306, each of which can be implemented in hardware,software, or a suitable combination of hardware and software, and whichcan be one or more software systems operating on a general purposeserver platform.

Entry point transfer system 302 receives item identification data,authentication device data, and other suitable data at an entry point ofa chain of custody. In one exemplary embodiment, the entry point can bethe operator of system 100, an inventory control system, or othersuitable systems. Entry point transfer system 302 can also receive dataidentifying a reseller that is going to receive the item from entrypoint transfer system 302, such as to match with data entered at thereseller transfer system 304 by the reseller.

Reseller transfer system 304 receives item authentication data, itemdata, entry point transfer data, reseller data from other resellers in achain of custody, or other suitable data and compares that data to datapreviously entered by entry point transfer system 302, reseller transfersystem 304 by other resellers, or other suitable data. In this manner,reseller transfer system 304 can be used to track an item through achain of custody. For example, if an operator of reseller transfersystem 304 enters incorrect item identification data, authenticationdevice data, entry point data, or other related data, an alert can begenerated through alert system 116, or in other suitable manners toindicate that the chain of custody for an item has been broken.Likewise, reseller transfer system 304 can be used to identify breaks ina chain of custody where counterfeit items are being introduced, wherefraud is being committed, or other conditions or problems.

Owner registration system 306 receives item data, owner registrationdata and other suitable data and provides verification data of theacquisition of an item by an owner. In one exemplary embodiment, ownerregistration system 306 can be used to determine when an item has beenimproperly transferred, to generate alert data, or to perform othersuitable functions.

In operation, system 300 allows a chain of custody to be established foritems, so as to allow the item to be authenticated starting at thesource of the item and continuing through all owners of the item. System300 thus provides additional tracking and authentication capabilitiesfor items that have been signed by personages, used at events, rareitems, or even common consumer goods or other similar items.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a system 400 for allowing an item to betransferred from an owner to another purchaser in accordance with anexemplary embodiment of the present invention. System 400 includes itemtransfer system 112 and owner flagging system 402, buyer identificationsystem 404, buyer verification system 406, and purchase system 408, eachof which can be implemented in hardware, software, or a suitablecombination of hardware and software, and which can be one or moresoftware systems operating on a general purpose server platform.

Owner flagging system 402 receives owner flagging data for transfer ofan item. In one exemplary embodiment, an owner may have an account thatincludes a list of items, and can flag one or more items for transfer.Likewise, all items associated with an event or personage may bemaintained on a list and items that are available for sale can beflagged in a manner that allows an owner to indicate that the item isfor sale, provide an asking price, allow a prospective buyer to make anoffer, or other suitable functions can be performed by owner flaggingsystem 402.

Buyer identification system 404 receives buyer identification data froman owner or in other suitable manners. In one exemplary embodiment,buyer identification system 404 can receive an e-mail address, anaccount identifier, or other suitable data that identifies a buyer, suchthat the buyer can be contacted and requested to confirm the transfer.Likewise, buyer identification system 404 generate lockout data, such asto lockout an owner from initiating another transfer prior toverification of the transfer by the buyer or other suitable data.

Buyer verification system 406 receives buyer verification data from abuyer or in other suitable manners. In one exemplary embodiment, buyerverification system 406 can provide an e-mail message, a message to anaccount holder, or other suitable data that identifies a seller and anitem, such that the buyer can be confirm the transfer of an item.Likewise, buyer identification system 404 can generate lockout data,such as to lockout the buyer from initiating another transfer prior toverification of receipt of payment by the seller or other suitable data.

Purchase system 408 allows authentication data, purchase data, and othersuitable data for an item to be verified before completing the transferof an item from an owner to a buyer. In one exemplary embodiment, aseller and a buyer can both be required to approve a transaction beforethe transfer of an item from the seller to the buyer is completed, suchas to allow the seller to confirm that they have received payment forthe item, to allow the buyer to confirm the authenticity of the item,and for other suitable purposes. In another exemplary embodiment,purchase system 408 can include payment functionality, such as an ACH orcredit card payment processing system that allows buyers or sellers toreverse a transaction if the item data of record (such as an RFID tagnumber) does not match the item data for the transferred item.

In operation, system 400 allows an item to be transferred from an ownerto another purchaser, such as by parties that do not have authenticationdevice readers or in other suitable circumstances. System 400 allows thetransfer of an item to be confirmed by a seller and by a purchaser, suchas to provide the purchaser with sufficient time to have the itemauthenticated at a location with an authentication device reader, toallow the seller to confirm that payment has been received, or for othersuitable purposes.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a system 500 for providing item verification datain accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.System 500 includes item verification system 114 and owner verificationsystem 502, authentication device verification system 504, and eventverification system 506, each of which can be implemented in hardware,software, or a suitable combination of hardware and software, and whichcan be one or more software systems operating on a general purposeserver platform.

Owner verification system 502 allows owner verification data to begenerated in response to owner query data. In one exemplary embodiment,purported owner identification data can be provided and a list of itemsowned by the owner can be returned. In another exemplary embodiment,item identification data such as a tag number, item identifier,purported event or personage data, or other suitable data can beprovided, and owners of such items can be identified, such as with anindication of whether the items are for sale, the price at which theitems are offered, or other suitable data.

Authentication device verification system 504 receives authenticationdevice data or other suitable data and provides verification of the itemon which the authentication device has been provided. In one exemplaryembodiment, authentication device verification system 504 receivesauthentication device data, such as RFID tag data, hologram data, barcode data, or other suitable data, and returns item description data,owner data, or other suitable data.

Event verification query system 506 receives item data, event data,owner data, or other suitable data, and provides event verification. Inone exemplary embodiment, an owner of an item may wish to only provideidentification of the event at which the item was used. Likewise, a usermay desire to determine whether items from a given event are availablefor purchase. Event verification system 506 thus allows event data to beused to identify items, and can also verify whether an item was used ata given event, whether an owner owns any items that were used at a givenevent, whether any such items are available for purchase, or othersuitable data.

In operation, system 500 allows items to be verified, such as through anassociated owner, by receiving item identification device,authentication device data, event data, or in other suitable manners.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of an authentication device 600 in accordance withan exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Authentication device600 can be affixed to items, such that removal of the authenticationdevice 600 can be detected to prevent forgery, fraud, or other problemsfrom occurring.

Authentication device 600 includes RFID tag 602 or other suitableidentification devices. Nonmetallic port 604 allows RFID tag 602 to beread without being obscured by metal 606. Metal 606 can also include ahologram or other similar information that is etched into metal 606,such that the information etched in the metal 606 can be read through anitem scanner system 206, or in other suitable manners. Filler material608 can be affixed to metal 606. RFID tag 602 can be affixed tononmetallic port 604, such as with an adhesive, or can be separate froma nonmetallic port 604 such that it breaks away and remains attached tothe surface of an item if an attempt is made to remove authenticationdevice 600 from the item. Breakaway adhesive 610 can be affixed tofiller material 608, RFID tag 602, or other suitable parts ofauthentication device 600, such that when an attempt is made to removeauthentication device 600 from an item, breakaway adhesive 610separates, such as at exemplary separation points 612, and leavesidentifying data on the item as well as identifying information on theauthentication device 600. In this manner, when an authentication device600 is placed on an item, an attempt to remove the authentication device600 can be detected, such as by lack of adhesion areas on the removedauthentication device 600 that uniquely identify the authenticationdevice 600, by the indications left on the original item, or in othersuitable manners.

In operation, authentication device 600 increases the ability of system100 or other suitable systems to provide item tracking andauthentication by providing additional indications for determining theauthenticity of an item. Authentication device 600 can be readilyattached to items, and can be configured to leave an indication whenremoved by unauthorized personnel.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method 700 for providing tracking andauthentication data for an item in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention. Method 700 begins at 702 where itemverification data is received. In one exemplary embodiment, the itemverification data can be entered by a user, received from a scanner thatreceives item data and correlates it to data in a database, or in othersuitable manners. The method then proceeds to 704.

At 704, authentication device data is received. Authentication devicedata can include authentication device data from a device that isaffixed to an item, that is included with an item during manufacture, orother suitable authentication devices. The method then proceeds to 706.

At 706, the item is associated with the authentication device. In oneexemplary embodiment, a database can be created that storesauthentication device data and associates it with item data. The methodthen proceeds to 708.

At 708, owner registration data and item data is received. In oneexemplary embodiment, the owner registration data and item data can bereceived from an owner after a purchase has been made at a retailoutlet, or in other suitable manners. The method then proceeds to 710.

At 710, it is determined whether to correlate the owner registrationdata and item data to the authentication device. In one exemplaryembodiment, the owner registration data and item data can includepurchase point data, event data, or other suitable data, such as wherean owner purchases an item and has been told that it was used at aparticular event, purchases an item from a particular location, or inother suitable manners. If it is determined that the informationprovided at 708 by the owner does not match stored information, themethod proceeds to 712 and alert data is generated. In one exemplaryembodiment, the owner can be notified that the information entered doesnot match the stored information for the device, that there is noinformation stored for the device, or other suitable data can beprovided, such as actual data for the device. Likewise, alert data canbe generated to an operator of system 100, a personage, a store at whichthe authentication device item was purchased, or other suitable data.The method then proceeds to 714 where the item is requested forverification. In one exemplary embodiment, the alert data can begenerated when an indication exists that the purchaser may haveperformed the fraudulent activities, and the item can be requested, suchas in conjunction with an offer to purchase the item, an offer foradditional items, a rebate, a reward, or other suitable processes can beused to request that the item be provided for verification.

If it is determined at 710 that the authentication device should becorrelated to the owner registration data, the method proceeds to 716where a database for tracking ownership of an item is updated. Themethod then proceeds to 718 where it is determined whether the ownerwants to obtain associated data, such as audio data, video data,audiovisual data, or other suitable data pertaining to the item. In oneexemplary embodiment, audiovisual data of the event at which the itemwas used by a personage can be provided, audio data of an event at whichthe item was used in a performance can be provided, or other suitabledata can be sold or otherwise provided. If it is determined that theowner does not want to obtain the associated data, the method proceedsto 722 and terminates. Otherwise, the method proceed to 720 where thedata is provided to the owner.

In operation, method 700 allows items to be authenticated and tracked,so as to provide an indicia of the authenticity of an item, to allow anitem to be transferred by purchases of the item, and for other suitablepurposes.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method 800 for providing validation data inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Method800 begins at 802 where a validation request is received. In oneexemplary embodiment, the validation request can be received at a store,point of purchase, over the Internet, or in other suitable manners. Themethod then proceeds to 804.

At 804, it is determined whether an event validation request has beenreceived. In one exemplary embodiment, an item owner may only wish toshow that an item was used at a particular sporting event and may notwant to provide additional data on the item. For example, an item ownercan enable others to determine that the item was used at an event, suchas by providing data that is used to correlate with items used at theevent. Likewise, other suitable processes can be used. If it isdetermined at 804 that event verification data is not required, then themethod proceeds to 810. Otherwise, the method proceeds to 806 where itemidentification data, a password, or other suitable data is received. Themethod then proceeds to 808 where the event data is provided. In oneexemplary embodiment, the event data can be provided to predeterminedrecipients of event data, can be posted on a website, can be shown on aterminal, or other suitable processes can be used. The method thenproceeds to 810.

At 810, it is determined whether an item validation request has beenreceived. In one exemplary embodiment, an item validation request can beused to identify the item, the owner, the purchase point, an event, orother suitable data. For example, an item validation can be requestedwhen an item is being purchased or in other suitable manners. If it isdetermined at 810 that an item validation request has not been received,the method proceeds to 818. Otherwise, the method proceeds to 812 whereitem identification data, password data, or other suitable data isreceived. The method then proceeds to 814 where event data is provided,such as data identifying an associated event data, audiovisual data, orother suitable data. The method then proceeds to 816 where other itemdata is provided, such as item owner data, item description data, itemorigination data, item purchase price or purchase point data, or othersuitable data. The method then proceeds to 818.

At 818, it is determined whether an owner validation request has beenreceived. In one exemplary embodiment, an owner validation request canbe received to determine whether an owner owns any items, the number ofitems owned, or other suitable information. If it is determined at 818that an owner validation request has not been received, the methodproceeds to 824 and terminates. Otherwise, the method proceeds to 820where item identification data, password data, owner identificationdata, or other suitable data is received. The method then proceeds to822 where owner data is provided, such as on a display, to one or morepredetermined email addresses or accounts, or in other suitable manners.The method then proceeds to 824 and terminates.

In operation, method 800 is used to provide validation data, such asvalidation data to a potential purchaser of an item, validation data toviewers of the item to verify that the item is what it is alleged to be,validation data to determine the number of items available for a givenevent, or other suitable validation data.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method 900 for allowing an item to betransferred in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. Method 900 begins at 902 where an owner transfer request isreceived. In one exemplary embodiment, the owner transfer request caninclude a request to enter an owner transfer area of a website, or othersuitable data. The method then proceeds to 904.

At 904, a password is received. In one exemplary embodiment, thepassword can be a password known only to the owner, a password that mustbe provided by the recipient in order to complete the transfer, or othersuitable passwords. The method then proceeds to 906.

At 906, a transferee e-mail address is received. Likewise, othertransferee data can be received, such as a transferee account identifierwhere the transferee already has an account with item registrationsystem 102 or other suitable systems. The method then proceeds to 908.

At 908, it is determined whether the password data, owner transferrequest data, transferee e-mail address or account identifier data, orother suitable data has been confirmed. For example, if an owner-enteredpassword does not match a stored password, the transaction can beterminated, an alert can be generated, or other suitable processes canbe performed. Likewise, if a transferee e-mail address is not correct,the transferee account is not correct, or if other errors are detected,the method proceeds to 910 and terminates. Otherwise, the methodproceeds to 912 where the owner is locked out. In one exemplaryembodiment, the owner can see that the item has been made available fortransfer but can be prevented from transferring the item or performingother related functions with the item. The method then proceeds to 914.

At 914, a confirmation e-mail or message is transmitted to thetransferee's e-mail address, posted at the transferee's account, orother suitable processes can be performed. In one exemplary embodiment,a hypertext link to a transfer confirmation website, a payment website,or other suitable websites can be provided to a transferee by e-mail. Inanother exemplary embodiment, the transferee can access the transferconfirmation data at the transferee's account, at a website, or in othersuitable manners. The method the proceeds to 916.

At 916, it is determined whether a confirmation of the transfer has beenreceived. In one exemplary embodiment, a predetermined time can beallowed for a transfer to be completed by a transferee. If it isdetermined at 916 that confirmation has not been received, the methodproceeds to 918 where the owner is restored to the item, such that theowner can control the subsequent transfer of the item or other suitableprocesses. Likewise, if it is determined at 916 that the transfer hasbeen confirmed, the method proceeds to 920.

At 920, new owner data is updated. In one exemplary embodiment, ownerdata from an owner account can be used to populate the owner data in adatabase, owner data can be received from the owner by data entry, orother suitable processes can be performed. The method then proceeds to922 where authentication device data is received. In one exemplaryembodiment, the owner can send the item to an authentication devicereader, can use the owner's own authentication device reader such as anRFID tag scanner or barcode scanner to read the authentication devicedata, or other suitable processes can be used. The method then proceedsto 924.

At 924, it is determined whether confirmation of the authenticationdevice data has been received. In one exemplary embodiment,authentication device data and additional item identification data canbe received, it can be determined whether the item identification datamatches the authentication device data, such as item description data,item tag number data, event data, personage data, or other suitableprocesses can be performed. If it is determined at 924 that confirmationhas not been received, the method proceeds to 926 where correct itemdata is provided, such as where the item that has been transferred mayhave been misrepresented, where an incorrect item has been transferred,or other suitable data. Likewise, if there is no correct item data, suchas when a fraudulent device has been provided, the former owner isnotified, such as when the item data is associated with an item forwhich an owner already owns the item, when authentication device data isassociated with an item that is still registered to an owner, or othersuitable processes can be performed. Likewise, if it is determined at924 that the authentication device has been confirmed, the methodproceeds to 930 and terminates.

In operation, method 900 allows a transfer to occur for a registereditem between two purchasers that are not chain of custody recipients,such as resellers, or retailers. Method 900 allows owners to transferownership of items using commercially available computer terminals orother data reading equipment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a method 1000 for providing chain of custodycontrol in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. Method 1000 begins at 1002 where authentication device datais received. In one exemplary embodiment, the authentication device datacan be received by scanning the device or in other suitable manners. Themethod then proceeds to 1004.

At 1004, item data is received, such as by entering item data for abatch of items, for each individual item, by reading a barcode andassociating the barcode data with data stored in a database, or in othermanners. The method then proceeds to 1006.

At 1006, it is determined whether the item has been checked out. In oneexemplary embodiment, items such as jerseys, footballs, helmets,guitars, drumsticks, or other suitable items can be checked out forevents, such as sporting events, rock concerts, or other suitableevents. If it is determined at 1006 that an item has been checked out,the method proceeds to 1008 where check-out data is stored. In oneexemplary embodiment, check-out can include reading the authenticationdevice or otherwise associating the check-out data with a specific item,storing image data of the item, or performing other suitable processes.The method then proceeds to 1010.

At 1010, event data is stored. In one exemplary embodiment, the eventdata can include data associated with a specific location, such as dataread at a device that is stored or installed at a location, audio visualdata of the event, video data of the event, graphic data of the event,audio data of the event, or other suitable event data. The method thenproceeds to 1012.

At 1012, check-in data is stored, such as by storing authenticationdevice data, image data, or other suitable data. In one exemplaryembodiment, if an item is not checked in within a predetermined periodof time after an event, then alert data can be generated. Likewise,after an item has been checked in, the item can be referenced to thestored event data, so as to provide a purchaser of the item withadditional audio visual data or other tracking and authenticating data,to allow the purchaser to purchase the audio visual data or other typesof data for an extra cost, or for other suitable purposes. The methodthen proceeds to 1014.

At 1014, it is determined whether personage verification is to bereceived. If personage verification is not to be received, the methodproceeds to 1018. Otherwise, the method proceeds to 1016 where personageverification data is received. In one exemplary embodiment, a personagecan have a password and user ID so that the personage can access adatabase and track the number of items that are associated with thepersonage, the types of items, the status of the items, can receive aroyalty each time the items are transferred, or for other suitablepurposes. The method then proceeds to 1018.

At 1018, it is determined whether a chain of custody transfer hasoccurred. If a chain of custody transfer has not occurred, the methodproceeds to 1024. Otherwise, the method proceeds to 1020 where transferdata is received. In one exemplary embodiment, the transfer data caninclude identification data of the transferor, identification data forthe recipient, a date of transfer, location of transfer, or othersuitable data. Likewise, purchase price data, sale price data, or othersuitable data can be provided. The method then proceeds to 1022 whererecipient data is received. In one exemplary embodiment, the recipientdata can include data identifying the transferor, data identifying therecipient, data identifying the item, the event, the personage, or othersuitable data. The method then proceeds to 1024.

At 1024, it is determined whether the information entered at 1016, 10201022, or other suitable data matches. In one exemplary embodiment, acheck can be made at a point of transfer, a chain of custody test can beperformed periodically as part of an audit, or other suitable processescan be performed. If it is determined that a match does not existbetween two sets of data, the method proceeds to 1026 where alert datais generated. In one exemplary embodiment, a personage can be notifiedthat a number of items being tracked exceeds the number of authorizeditems, a transferor can be notified that an intended recipient has notreceived a transferred item, or other suitable alert data can begenerated. The method then proceeds to 1028.

At 1028, it is determined whether a purchase has been performed. In oneexemplary embodiment, a purchase can include a purchase by a buyer, enduser, or other suitable purchasers other than intended resellers. If apurchase has not been performed, the method returns to 1018, such aswhere the item remains in a chain of transfer to ultimate purchasers,such as transfer between a wholesaler and a retailer, between retailerswho are presently selling the item (so that a status of the item canidentify that the item is available for purchase from the retailer), orother suitable data. Otherwise, the method proceeds to 1030 where thechain of transfer data, item data, event data, and other suitable datais received. For example, a purchaser can purchase an item and can enterthe item data that the item is purported to embody, such as an event atwhich the item is purported to have been used, the personage the item ispurported to have been used by, or other suitable chain of transferdata, such as at the outlet at which the item is being purchased. Themethod then proceeds to 1032.

At 1032, it is determined whether a confirmation is received. In oneexemplary embodiment, the data entered at 1030 can be checked againstpreviously entered data to confirm that all of the data is correct. Ifit is determined at 1032 that all the information is correct, the methodproceeds to 1026 where ownership data is updated. Otherwise, the methodproceeds to 1034 where alert data is generated. In one exemplaryembodiment, the alert data can be generated to an operator of system 100or in other suitable locations and not provided to the seller andpurchaser of the item, such as where a sting-type operation is beingconducted to locate sellers of fraudulent items. Likewise, othersuitable alert data can be generated.

In operation, method 1000 allows a chain of custody for an item to betracked and controlled to allow the items to be authenticated and to betransferred between an entry point, various resellers, purchasers, orother suitable persons. Likewise, method 1000 allows a personage tocontrol the number of items that are being transferred by the system, todetermine if the number of items being transferred exceeds preset limitsor other suitable information.

Although exemplary embodiments of a system and method of the presentinvention have been described in detail herein, those skilled in the artwill also recognize that various substitutions and modifications can bemade to the systems and methods without departing from the scope andspirit of the appended claims.

1-22. (canceled)
 23. A system configured to maintain authenticationinformation associated with an item, the system comprising: a systemincluding a radio frequency device reader and a bar code reader; amaster control unit that is operably coupled to the radio frequencydevice reader and the bar code reader, said master control unitconfigured to receive product identification data from the radiofrequency device reader and the bar code reader; a database systemcommunicatively coupled to the master control unit, the database systemconfigured to store authentication information associated with aplurality of items, the authentication information including informationrelating to a chain of custody of the items and, for each item, at leasttwo of i) a location and date of origin, ii) a person associated withthe item at the origin of the item, and iii) a previous owner; a displayunit operably coupled to the master control unit and disposed proximateto the support structure, said display unit configured to receive anddisplay said authentication information to a user; and an alert systemoperably connected to the master control unit that is configured tonotify the user if the chain of custody information is incomplete, andto display a notification if the chain of custody is incomplete wherein,in response to the movement of the item proximate the radio frequencyreader reader or the bar code reader, the master controller submits aquery to the database system, receives the authentication information,and causes the display unit to display at least a portion of theauthentication information to the user.
 24. The system of claim 23,wherein the query includes at least a portion of product identificationdata associated with the item.
 25. The system of claim 23, wherein thedisplay unit includes a user interface adapted to control the mastercontrol unit.
 26. The system of claim 23, wherein the barcode reader andthe RFID reader is coupled to an authentication device data entry systemto provide increased data processing efficiency.
 27. The system of claim23, further comprising: a plurality of data processing systems at acorresponding plurality of item handling facilities, the data processingsystems retrieving and storing the authentication information; and acentral system communicating with the plurality of data processingsystems and the database system, the central system updating the chainof custody information stored in the database system according to inputfrom the data processing systems.
 28. The system of claim 23 wherein thealert data is transmitted to a current owner of the item.
 29. The systemof claim 23 wherein the alert data is transmitted to an operator of thedatabase system.
 30. The system of claim 23 further comprising a buyerverification system configured to generate a query to a current owner ofthe item and to authorize a transfer of the item in response to thequery.
 31. The system of claim 23 further comprising a buyerverification system configured to generate a query to a current ownerthat includes an identification of a prospective buyer of the item andto authorize a transfer of the item in response to the query.
 32. Acomputer-implemented method of tracking items, the method comprising:receiving an item at an item handling facility; identifying the itemusing a scanning system having a radio frequency reader, a barcodereader, a computing device configured to electronically communicate witha database system, and a display, wherein identifying the item includesmoving the item proximate the radio frequency reader or the bar codereader; querying the database system to retrieve authenticationinformation associated with the item, wherein said authenticationincludes information relating to a chain of custody of the item and atleast two of i) a location and date of origination of the item, ii) aperson associated with the location and date of origination of the item,and iii) a previous owner of the item; displaying at least a portion ofthe authentication information on the display, wherein displaying atleast a portion of the authentication information includes displaying anotification if the chain of custody is incomplete; and updating theauthentication information to reflect that the item has been received.33. The method of claim 32, wherein querying the database systemincludes submitting, from the scanning system, at least a portion ofidentification information associated with the item.
 34. The method ofclaim 32, wherein displaying at least a portion of the authenticationinformation includes displaying a notification if the authenticationinformation is unavailable.
 35. The method of claim 32, furthercomprising generating alert data if the chain of custody is incomplete.36. The method of claim 32, further comprising entering into thescanning system handling information associated with the item.
 37. Themethod of claim 36, wherein the database system is updated to includethe handling information at each transfer of ownership of the item. 38.The method of claim 36, wherein the handling information is entered byscanning the item.
 39. The method of claim 32, further comprisingtransmitting alert data to an owner of the item if the chain of custodyis incomplete.
 40. The method of claim 32, further comprisingtransmitting alert data to an operator of the database system if thechain of custody is incomplete.
 41. In a system configured to maintainauthentication information associated with an item that includes a radiofrequency device reader and a bar code reader, a master control unitthat is operably coupled to the radio frequency device reader and thebar code reader, said master control unit configured to receive productidentification data from the radio frequency device reader and the barcode reader, a database system communicatively coupled to the mastercontrol unit, the database system configured to store authenticationinformation associated with a plurality of items, the authenticationinformation including information relating to a chain of custody of theitems and, for each item, at least two of i) a location and date oforigin, ii) a person associated with the item at the origin of the item,and iii) a previous owner, a display unit operably coupled to the mastercontrol unit and disposed proximate to the support structure, saiddisplay unit configured to receive and display said authenticationinformation to a user, an alert system operably connected to the mastercontrol unit that is configured to notify the user if the chain ofcustody information is incomplete, and to display a notification if thechain of custody is incomplete wherein, in response to the movement ofthe item proximate the radio frequency reader reader or the bar codereader, the master controller submits a query to the database system,receives the authentication information, and causes the display unit todisplay at least a portion of the authentication information to theuser, wherein the query includes at least a portion of productidentification data associated with the item, wherein the display unitincludes a user interface adapted to control the master control unit,wherein the barcode reader and the RFID reader is coupled to anauthentication device data entry system to provide increased dataprocessing efficiency, a plurality of data processing systems at acorresponding plurality of item handling facilities, the data processingsystems retrieving and storing the authentication information; a centralsystem communicating with the plurality of data processing systems andthe database system, the central system updating the chain of custodyinformation stored in the database system according to input from thedata processing systems, wherein the alert data is transmitted to acurrent owner of the item, wherein the alert data is transmitted to anoperator of the database system and a buyer verification systemconfigured to generate a query to a current owner that includes anidentification of a prospective buyer of the item and to authorize atransfer of the item in response to the query, a method comprising:receiving an item at an item handling facility; identifying the itemusing a scanning system having a radio frequency reader, a barcodereader, a computing device configured to electronically communicate witha database system, and a display, wherein identifying the item includesmoving the item proximate the radio frequency reader or the bar codereader; querying the database system to retrieve authenticationinformation associated with the item, wherein said authenticationincludes information relating to a chain of custody of the item and atleast two of i) a location and date of origination of the item, ii) aperson associated with the location and date of origination of the item,and iii) a previous owner of the item; displaying at least a portion ofthe authentication information on the display, wherein displaying atleast a portion of the authentication information includes displaying anotification if the chain of custody is incomplete; updating theauthentication information to reflect that the item has been received;wherein querying the database system includes submitting, from thescanning system, at least a portion of identification informationassociated with the item; wherein displaying at least a portion of theauthentication information includes displaying a notification if theauthentication information is unavailable; generating alert data if thechain of custody is incomplete; entering into the scanning systemhandling information associated with the item; wherein the databasesystem is updated to include the handling information at each transferof ownership of the item; wherein the handling information is entered byscanning the item; transmitting alert data to an owner of the item ifthe chain of custody is incomplete; and transmitting alert data to anoperator of the database system if the chain of custody is incomplete.